Gov. Arthur Yap writes to national Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) chief implementor Sec. Carlito Galvez asking the latter to let the locally stranded individuals (LSIs) return to Bohol GRADUALLY and not ABRUPTLY, with emphasis that the LSIs will properly coordinate with the local government units (LGUs) and provide advance notice of the return plan.

In a letter to Galvez dated June 25, 2020, a copy of which was provided to The Bohol Tribune, Yap said, “May this letter find you well as you most ably serve our country in this moment of great peril. As you are aware, Bohol has supported the national government program of allowing LSIs and OFWs to come home to Bohol unhampered. This was on the condition that they coordinate with the receiving LGU as to the date of their arrival after securing the necessary clearances regarding their quarantine and preliminary medical evaluation.”

The governor added in the same letter, “This is to make sure the LSI can be accommodated in the receiving LGU’s municipal quarantine facility. For a time the system was working properly, however, as of late, unfortunately, the system is not being followed on the end of the returning LSI. More than once, our LGUs are surprised that they are being asked to pick up an LSI who happened to just arrive in one of our ports. Last week, we discovered arrivals who were not even from Bohol and got as far inland as Guindulman.”

Furthermore, the governor said, “We reiterate how important the coordination is to ensure that returning LSIs be properly monitored and quarantined for the safety not only of the LSI but the local population as current statistics show, that more than 90 percent of those who are Covid positive are from the group of returning LSIs.”

At this juncture, the governor said in his letter, “In that respect, please allow me to request the following:

1) make the coordination with the receiving LGU mandatory to ensure proper endorsement and monitoring of the returning LSI. The League of Governors is asking for at least three (3) days of coordination before the LSI is sent home.

2) Considering the alarming rise of positive cases all traceable to returning LSIs, I ask that we slow down the pace of repatriating LSIs to Bohol to no more than 4,000 individuals in quarantine at any one time to allow the system to properly process them.”

Moreover, Yap mentioned in the letter, “The key strategy is to ‘manage’ and thus we must regulate the arrivals and not just indiscriminately allow all entrants to Bohol to come in.

3) Finally, I recommend we PCR test all returning LSIs the way we are doing so with OFWs. If it is possible with OFWs, it is possible with LSIs. We understand that LSIs have the right to go home and we have the moral responsibility to accept them.”

Yap also told Galvez in the letter, “But we cannot do so under present conditions where we cannot defend and protect the health and livelihood of the people of Bohol.”

The governor concluded his letter to Galvez by saying: “At the rate the infections are rising in Cebu and Bohol, if we do not re think our policies, we may just be exporting the Covid problem to more provinces in our country. We want to help our nation, but it must be in a way that does not exacerbate the problem and expose to danger our local citizenry. Thank you and we truly admire the sense of sacrifice and duty, the President, and all of you in the IATF have shown.”

In a related development, Provincial Adminstrator Kathyrin Pioquinto. during an interview over “Open Forum” on Thursday, June 25, 2020, hinted the governor’s plan to write to the IATF regarding the acceptance of LSIs.

Pioquinto said the governor is requesting for a change in policy so that LGUs will require a certificate of acceptance (COA) from the returning LSI, prior to arrival.

Pioquinto also said that with the COA, the LGUs are able to prepare the right accommodations for the arriving LSIs and a change of policy will also prevent the so-called “walk-in” LSIs. .

The provincial administrator bared that LGUs are told by the national authorities that LSIs no longer need the COA from the accepting LGU.

It was previously reported that LSIs only need a medical certificate from the LGU of origin and a travel authority from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Covid shield.

“Makurat na lang ta usahay na naay muabot na LSIs without coordination (We will be surprised, sometimes, that LSIs have arrived without coordination)” Pioquinto said.

Pioquinto also cited the incident in Guindulman where five (5) LSIs who were not able to coordinate with the LGU were pushed back and may face legal action.

She said it is critical that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the port authorities are able to help in allowing only the LSIs that have proper coordination with the LGUs to take the voyage back to Bohol.

Pioquinto emphasized that with proper coordination, any LSI will be fetched by the LGU’s focal persons and will be brought straight to the quarantine facility.

The provincial administrator said it is frustrating on the part of the LGUs and the provincial government to hear criticisms that some LSIs are not being attended to upon their arrival in Bohol seaports or at the Bohol Panglao International Airport.

The critics, she said, may not realize that these LSIs have not coordinated with the LGUs in the first place or have not contacted the LGUs ahead of time.

“If there is no prior coordination with us, don’t expect us to fetch you (LSIs).” Pioquinto quipped.

(Editor’s note: The full text of the letter of the governor to the IATF is published on page 4 of this paper).